Scholarship recipients in the Diocese of Joliet get a financial boost

The Kazma Family Foundation will increase its four-year, high school scholarships by $2,000 each, effective for the current 2021-2022 school year, a news release from the Diocese of Joliet said.

This now brings the annual scholarship award to $6,000. However, an incentive program based on honor roll status can bring the total donation to $8,000 the release said.

Scholarships are awarded based on need. Students must also have a 3.0 grade point average and “actively attend their parish or participate heavily in community service,” the release said.

Students must also plan to attend one of seven schools in the Diocese of Joliet. Locally, these are Joliet Catholic Academy and Providence High School in New Lenox.

Other qualifying schools are Benet Academy, Bishop McNamara High School, IC Catholic Prep, Joliet Catholic Academy, Montini Catholic High School, Providence Catholic High School and St. Francis High School.

Leigh-Anne Kazma, president of the Kazma Family Foundation, announced the extra scholarship funding last Saturday following a Mass and awards ceremony honoring the Class of 2025 Kazma scholarship recipients, the 18th class of high school students the Kazma Family Foundation has supported.

In the release, Jennifer Georgis, chief executive officer of the Catholic Education Foundation for the Diocese of Joliet, said she was “thrilled” and “grateful” at the extra funding.

“The generosity of the Kazma family lightens the financial burden of our students and parents, and boosts appreciation for the value of a Catholic education,” Georgis said in the release.

Georgis said the additional $2,000 per year applies to all 129 students currently receiving a Kazma Family Foundation Scholarship.